Kansas Lt. Governor dressed in gender-bending ‘drag’ costume amid accusations state funded ‘all-ages’ drag show
(Daily Caller) – Kansas Democratic Lt. Gov. David Toland appears to have dressed in a “drag” costume for a 2010 charity event amid accusations that the state funded an “all-ages” drag show,…
(Daily Caller) – Kansas Democratic Lt. Gov. David Toland appears to have dressed in a “drag” costume for a 2010 charity event amid accusations that the state funded an “all-ages” drag show, according to archives from the Iola Register.
Toland dressed up for a 2010 community event in what appears to be “drag,” according to photos posted to the Iola Register archives. The photo shows Toland in a dress and necklace. The archives claim that Toland was pictured in “preparation for the Mad Bomber Run festival’s ‘drag’ race on the Iola square Friday evening.”
“A ‘drag race’ features prominent Iolans donning dresses, or women wearing suits in a relay race. The drag ‘queen’ will be crowned at the conclusion of the race,” the article reads.
A separate 2011 article from the Iola Register wrote that “men and women alike are encouraged to dress in a cross-gender manner and then ‘compete’ in teams of four in a relay.”
Toland is also the Secretary of the state’s Department of Commerce, which came under fire for reportedly funding two drag performances for “all ages.” Breitbart originally reported that the Department of Commerce funded the “free, all-ages evening of music, fashion, drag & dancing.”
However, fact-checkers claimed that the grant was not used to directly fund the drag show and instead went to supporting a separate project by a local artist, leading Breitbart to reach the same conclusion.
A spokesman for the Department of Commerce told the Daily Caller that the 2010 drag event was a fundraiser for the local Crimestoppers organization. Officer Mike Ford, a current Iola police officer, told the Daily Caller that he is proud that Toland participated in the event.
“As a police officer who proudly wears the badge and as the liaison to Allen County Crimestoppers, it’s disappointing to see politicians attack a charity event that raises money to stop crime and helps law enforcement bring people to justice,” Ford said.
“I’m proud that Lt. Gov. Toland, along with many community leaders in Allen County, participated in this event to raise money to stop crime,” Ford continued.
